WE STAND SHOULDER TO SHOULDER WITH ARMENIAN SOLDIERS

Armenia is considered a mono-ethnic country, but in our country there are also representatives of different nations: Yezidis, Greeks, Assyrians, Jews …

Living side by side with the Armenians, they share with the Armenians all the difficulties and trials of the time, stand at the border with the Armenian soldiers, keeping the peace and tranquility of the country strong and inviolable.

Privates Atur Yukhanayev and Karen Ionanov serve in different parts of the front line. The Assyrian youths are from the village of Verin Dvin in the Ararat region, one of the largest Assyrian communities in Armenia.

“We were born and raised in Armenia, and if we live in this country, of course, we have to share both peaceful and difficult days,” says Karen. “We stand shoulder to shoulder, we serve together. By the way, thanks to the army, I now have more Armenian friends. ”

“Assyrians have a lot in common with Armenians by fate,” says Atur. …they both have lost homelands, subjected to genocide”

Arthur continues to speak about the commonalities of the two ancient nations, and I have remembered a small comparative piece from the story of William Saroyan “Seventy thousand Assyrians”. “The Assyrians are on our side of the world, their noses are like our noses, their eyes are like our eyes, their hearts are like our hearts. Centuries later, one of these nations counts several millions, the other just seventy thousand.”

“Armenia has long been a homeland to the Assyrians living in Armenia,” says Atur and continues.

“Jahutatsa” means peace in Assyrian.

There are many Yezidi soldiers serving in the Armenian Army. Yezidi youths serve with honor and devotion, and their parents often receive letters of thanks and certificates about their sons. Private Armen Khalilyan has been drafted into the army since the first year of the Armenian National Polytechnic University; he is from Arshaluys village of Armavir region. Three brothers, Armen, Jamal and Roman, serve together in the same military unit.

“My father also served in the Armenian army and is a war veteran,” says Armen.

By ALIS ALAVERDYAN

Photos by AREG VARDANYAN